Global Navigation System (GNS) receivers have the ability to acquire and track satellite signals from multiple satellite constellations, such as Global Positioning System (GPS), the Russian global navigation satellite system, GLObal NAvigation Satellite System (GLONASS), etc. In addition, GNSS receivers may also have the capability to track and use Space Based Augmentation System satellites from systems like Wide Area Application Services (WAAS), European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), Multi-Function Transport Satellite (MTSAT) Satellite-based Augmentation System (MSAS), and GPS Aided Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) Augmented Navigation (GAGAN). A Global Navigation System Satellite (GNSS) receiver has the ability to track and use satellites from multiple GNSS elements, such as Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS), Europe's global navigation satellite system, which is named Galileo, and GLONASS.
There are customer and regulatory hurdles to using the features of these GNSS elements in all airspaces so not all satellite constellations can be used in all airspaces. For example, a satellite constellation that is allowed for use (or specifically required for use) in a particular airspace is sometimes not allowed in another.
Currently, the pilot of a vehicle (e.g., a boat or an aircraft) traversing a number of geopolitical regions must be aware of the regulations associated with the geopolitical regions in order avoid violating regulatory requirements in those geopolitical regions. The pilot must be aware when the vehicle crosses from one geopolitical region to another geopolitical region if he is to change the GNSS and/or SBAS satellite types that can be utilized by the receiver on the vehicle. This takes time and is an additional pressure on the pilot when flying between geopolitical regions.